The present invention relates generally to a lever system for moving one object with respect to another, and particularly to a lever system that utilizes a rack gear and a pinion gear that are particularly amenable to facilitating the plugging and unplugging of components having multipin connectors.
A variety of lever systems have long been used to provide mechanical advantage in moving a given object. The mechanical advantage permits a user to perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult. Depending on the design of the lever system, it may be integrated with or separate from the object being moved.
In certain applications, it is desirable to have a lever system that provides a very controlled movement of one object with respect to another object. For example, in the assembly or disassembly of certain electrical components in systems, such as personal computers, servers, etc., it is helpful to gain mechanical advantage in plugging and unplugging components while providing a very controlled movement of the objects or components with respect to one another.
Commonly, printed circuit boards or other components utilize one or more multipin plugs that facilitate an electrical and mechanical connection with, for example, a motherboard or backplane. Gaining mechanical advantage in plugging and unplugging such components has become more important as the pin count in multipin connectors has increased, thus requiring greater force to plug or unplug the connectors. Similarly, it has become increasingly important to provide linear travel of one object with respect to another as the multipin connectors are plugged and unplugged, thereby avoiding damage to the connector. Also, it is often helpful to limit the movement of one object with respect to another object after the connection is completed. The secure connection prevents fatigue or other damage that may affect the connection.
It would be advantageous to have a lever system that provided substantial mechanical advantage while maintaining controlled movement of one object with respect to another. It also would be advantageous to achieve restricted relative movement of the objects upon completion of connection of the objects or other desired result.
The present invention features a lever system for moving a first object with respect to a second object. The lever system comprises a pinion gear pivotably mounted to the first object for pivotable motion about a pivot axis. A handle is connected to the pinion gear for movement between a release position and a retain position. Additionally, a pinion gear reception portion is mounted on the second object. The reception portion has a rack gear and a guide surface generally opposite the rack gear. The guide surface is positioned to maintain the pinion gear in engagement with the rack gear as the handle is moved from the release position to the retain position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a lever system is provided for moving a first object with respect to a second object. The system includes a gear member mounted to the first object and a gear member reception portion mounted to the second object. When the gear member and the reception portion are engaged and rotated with respect to each other, the gear member is moved to a retained position. The design of the gear member and the reception portion prevent relative linear movement in all directions when the gear member is in the retained position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a lever system is provided that includes a first object and a second object moveable with respect to the first object. A combined pinion gear and handle are pivotably mounted to the first object for pivotable motion about a pivot axis. The pinion gear and handle may be moved between a release position and a retain position. The pinion gear is engageable with a pinion gear reception portion that is mounted on the second object. The reception portion includes a rack gear and a guide surface generally opposite the rack gear. The guide surface is located to maintain the pinion gear in engagement with the rack gear as the handle is moved from the release position to the retain position. The pinion gear and the reception portion may be designed to prevent any lateral movement along the pivot axis once engaged.